Exhibitions, workshops, guided tours, and design events invite you to explore the many meanings of textiles—as art, carriers of memories, and solutions for a sustainable future. We’ve gathered a list of Oulu2026 events for the summer and the rest of the year, so mark these on your calendar!
At the Cultural Centre Valve, the photography exhibition “If Clothes Could Talk…” will be on display from 30 May to 31 July. The exhibition features Finnish and Estonian senior citizens sharing life stories through garments that hold special meaning to them.
The Tomorrow’s Wardrobe international exhibition at the Oulu Art Museum presents visions of the future of fashion through ecological materials, technology, and innovative clothing design. If you are interested in curated tours in English, see the schedule here. Alongside the exhibition, visitors can participate in daily guided art workshops from 2 June to 9 August, as well as physical guided tours on 9, 16, and 23 July. The museum is also hosting the Yuima Nakazato – Glacier exhibition, showcasing the Japanese fashion designer’s innovative creations that address environmental themes. The exhibition runs until October, guided tour in English 2nd August. The exhibition themes will be explored further in the Tomorrow’s wardrobe & fashion futuring on 15 September in Oulu.
On 15 August, the Summer Night’s Dinner in Oulu invites everyone to gather around a one-kilometre-long communal table in the city centre. The tables will be decorated with long tablecloths designed collaboratively by students from Proto and the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou. The project emphasizes friendship and peace through patterns inspired by people, culture, nature, architecture, and technology. Read more here
At the RantaRekki Flea Market in Raahe on 25 July, visitors can browse second-hand clothing, shoes, and accessories in a relaxed seaside atmosphere. In Oulainen on 15th June, you can disover gems at flea-market accompanied by poetry recitations and singing performances.
In Paltamo, visitors can learn about natural wool dyeing and traditional spinning-wheel techniques, while children can try fabric printing at the Iron, Tar and Robbers & Dye and Wool event.
Textile art will also be featured in the Rainbow Magic exhibition in Ylivieska in August, and in the Petra Kaminen Mosher: Knotted Flame exhibition at the Oulu House of Visual Arts, where textiles serve as a powerful medium for contemporary artistic expression.
Fans of clothing, interior design, and Finnish design can visit Proto Design Market 2026 in Oulu’s Pikisaari district on 22–23 August. Later in the year, the Proto Christmas Design Market on 28–29 November will bring festive design inspiration.
